Experience and development can't be gained from watching games, and the Capitals prospect will get top minutes in the ECHL.
As the Washington Capitals and Hershey Bears surge to start their respective seasons, they're also keeping an eye on their top prospects and made a bold decision for prospect Alexander Suzdalev, assigning him to the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays.
Suzdalev had started the season with the Bears but only managed to slot into the lineup once, where he had limited ice time and recorded two penalty minutes and a plus/minus rating of minus-1.
The 2022 third-round pick, who the Capitals have high hopes for, going to the ECHL may seem like a step back, especially as he was expected to make the full-time pro jump after things didn't go according to plan last year.
However, this will work to his benefit, and here's why.
First off, keeping him up in Hershey as a healthy scratch will do very little for his overall development. However, the Stingrays, who are three games into their season, with a 2-1 record so far, will get a big boost from having the prospect join their mix.
Over the course of his still-young career, the 6-foot-2 winger has shown upside and talent to develop into a strong NHL performer.
Suzdalev played alongside Connor Bedard during his run with the WHL's Regina Pats in 2022-23, posting 38 goals and 48 assists in 66 games.
Last season, after plans to make the full-time AHL jump went awry, he played 13 games with Mora IK in Sweden, earning three points in that span. He eventually returned to North America and had 25 points in 30 WHL games with the Saskatoon Blades following a trade.
Suzdalev has shown plenty of scoring touch during his time in the WHL, but this hasn't translated to the highest level yet. It doesn't help that he is trying to crack a stacked Bears lineup coming off back-to-back Calder Cup runs.
So, while an ECHL assignment may not be the most ideal circumstance for a young player who had hopes of making the full-time AHL jump, it will work well for Suzdalev's development, as it will allow him to regularly slot into a lineup on a professional team in North America (and at a higher level than the WHL, which he is no longer eligible for anyway).
As the majority of Suzdalev's play has been in Sweden, he is still going to be adjusting to the North American game, and time in South Carolina will help there.
Suzdalev is seen as a sharp playmaker with a good hockey IQ, crisp pass, and good stickhandling ability, and as his stats show, he can put the puck in the net. All he needs to do is add strength, which playing against grown men in the ECHL will help with.
Eventually, he'll get back to the point where he'll get his chance with Hershey, but for now, time with the Stingrays will help him continue to build his skills on ice and get consistent ice time, which he needs to be an impact player for the Washington organization.